Willy Lomans Character Essay - 3020 Words

Willy Lomans Character Betrayed or Betrayer? Discuss theses two aspects of Willy Loman’s character and comment on how they affect both Willy himself and the other characters’ relationships with him. Betrayed or Betrayer? Discuss theses two aspects of Willy Loman’s character and comment on how they affect both Willy himself and the other characters’ relationships with him. ‘Death of a Salesman’ is a play written by Arthur Miller and first produced on stage in 1949. This play is Miller’s most famous work. The play shows a conflict within one family but on a deeper level does much more than that. This play deals with larger issues regarding American national values. Miller examines the American peoples ideas and†¦show more content†¦In the 1950’s society the ‘dream’ had translated into personal wealth that was personal obtained- any failure to obtain such wealth was seen as a failure of the individual, not society. The American Dream is a combination of beliefs a belief in the unity of family, healthiness of competition in society and the need for success and money. In his play, Miller uses some of these beliefs, which are connected. In that stage of history, America offered alternatives to the European way of life and plenty of land, riches for all people and all of Americas people could share in the wealth of the nation. In addition, another belief is the view that America is the great land in which free opportunity for all exists. The Declaration of Independence states ‘ all men are created equal, they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights. Among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness’. (July 4th 1776) In the 1950’s, Willy’s character exposes a man who shared many of the American peoples ideas of the time. These ideas have been summed up by the phrase ‘The American Dream’. This Dream is Willys biggest betrayer and ultimate destroyer. Willy’s character believed that the American Dream of easy success and wealth could and would completely come true and change his life or the life of Biff. However, neither Biff nor Willy achieves it. According to the American Dream to be a success is to believe in theShow MoreRelatedCharacter Analysis Of Willy Lomans Death Of A Salesman909 Words   |  4 Pagespoint of views throughout the story. The character Willy Loman came across as a strong, but loving in his own way kind of man. Understanding his life story will give you a reason for his antics. His relationships with everyone and the way that he reacts to things that upset him. Changes that are happening that cannot be controlled, make his life difficult. In every life there are ups and downs, some people just make better choices to make them easier. Willy Loman has his own way of thinking becauseRead MoreWhat Do the Flashbacks Sequences in ‘Death of a Salesman’ Contribute to Our Understanding of Willy Loman’s Character?1459 Words   |  6 Pagesdramatizing the sufferings of his characters. Willy is the character that suffers most and it is dramatized at different points in his life. For example when Willy is first made to work on commission and then is not even allowed to work on commission. Miller also likens his characters to mythic figures in history. An example of this is during the first flashback Willy compares Biff and Happy to the mythical Greek figures Adonis and Hercules. He does this because Willy believes the boys are the pinnacleRead MoreEssay about The American Dream in Death of a Salesman1371 Words   |  6 Pagesview of Willy Loman as a tragic hero because he is convinced that the way to achieve a better life is by living the American Dream. Willy Loman believes that he will find success wit h the American Dream through his likable personality. Yet, he dies without it, which adds to his tragic downfall. In the play, the American Dream is a misguided perception of success by both Willy Loman and his family. For Willy, the key to achieving success is being well liked. This is a concept that Willy Loman regardsRead More Destruction of the American Dream in Arthur Millers Death of A Salesman834 Words   |  4 PagesReality peels away the thin layers of Willy Lomans American Dream; a dream built on a lifetime of poor choices and false values. Although the characters are not of noble birth nor possess a heroic nature nor experience a reversal of fortune, many of the elements in Death of A Salesman fulfill the criteria of a classic tragedy. The downfall and crisis points in the play are directly linked to the Loman familys combined harmartias, or personal flaws. The Lomans have unrealistic ideas regardingRead MoreArthur Miller s Death Of A Salesman910 Words   |  4 Pagesillustrates the drama and complex dynamics of the Loman family. The Loman’s consist of Willy and Linda Loman as well as their two sons Biff and Happy. Specifically, â€Å"Death of a Salesman† focusses on Willy and his oldest son Biff. Willy, now an old man has deteriorated into a miserable and senile man. Willy Loman’s character has flaws, just as any human does, however Willy’s personal actions attribute to his own misfortune. Firstly, Willy constantly dwells on the past, which leads to a dysfunctionalRead More Death Of A Salesman - Minor Characters Essay565 Words   |  3 Pagesplot is affected by three minor characters: Ben, Charley and Howard. The minor characters help the storys protagonist, Willy, develop extensively throughout the course of the play; therefore, they are key elements in the advancing story line. This story line blends and contrasts Willys closest companions, Ben and Charley. They represent two aspects of Willys ideals. Howard, Willys boss, functions in order to heighten the destruction of Willys dream. The characters Ben, Charley and Howard are influentialRead More The American Dream in Death Of A Salesman, by Arthur Miller Essay975 Words   |  4 Pagesprosperity, status, and being immortalized. Willy Loman, a hard worker aged to his sixties never accomplished this goal. He always talked the talked, but never achieved to walk the walk. Willy Loman would always talk about who hes met and how he has always well known and liked, but truthfully he never was. Willy: Hes liked, but not-well liked†¦I got on the road and I went north to Providence. Met the Mayor. (ACT I, lines 232, 234)†¦Willy: And they know me, boys, they know me up and downRead MoreThe American Dream Essay1565 Words   |  7 Pageseach individual person; however, the main American Dream being depicted in this play deals with prosperity and status. To start, there are multiple characters in Miller’s Death of a Salesman that represent the American Dream. Charley, for example, is one of those characters. Charley is the honest and hardworking neighbor of Willy Loman. Charley, unlike Willy Loman, has self-confidence. Having self-confidence is one of the aspects of the American Dream, for one should always be comfortable in one’s skinRead MoreWilly Loman as a Tragic Hero in Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman1218 Words   |  5 PagesWilly Loman as a Tragic Hero in Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman Should Willy Loman of Arthur Millers classic, Death of a Salesman be regarded as a tragic hero, or merely a working-class, socially inadequate failure? Described by Miller as a self-destructive, insecure anti-hero, it seems almost impossible for Loman to be what is known as a tragic hero in the classical sense, but with the inclusion of other factors he maybe a tragic hero, at least in the modernRead MoreThe Collapse Of A Cherished Businessman1571 Words   |  7 Pagesillustrated characters that â€Å"wrestle with power conflicts, personal and social responsibility, the repercussions of past actions, and twin poles of guilt and hope† (Galvin). Some of his most famous modern tragedies include The Crucible, All My Sons, and Death of a Salesman. First staged in 1949, Death of a Salesman is considered Miller’s greatest and most critically acclaimed work. Set in twentieth century New York, Death of a Salesman highlights the tale of the perfectly named Willy Loman, a common